Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-26
FINGER NAIL SECRETS.
The Ancient Art of Onychomancy to
Be Hevived.

BE EeViVed.
"ln these days of chirognomy and
ehiromancy and all the other ologies and
ancies relating to peoples hands and
heads and noses and ears, it is surprising
that no one has as yet revived the old art
Of onychomancy," said South Side
physician the other day TO Chicago Her.
aid reporter.
what is onychomancyf Well, it is
the art of divination by the nails. and was
mucn practiced by some of our many
umes-great-g randfathers, l think in the
eighteenth century. The most learned
and distinguished OF onychomancists was
Jerome Cardan, who was considered as
great an oracle in his day as Mr.. Heron
Alien Is at present, though Cardan never
made such practical use OF his reputation
Is tle Wideawake Englishman has done.
lie was a languid, blase Partisan, always
ihVentlng some new method for making
Tile Neutrality-suspicious., by the way,
"hose only merit would seem to be origi-
hality.
M. Cardan found relief in
v9ychomancy. He devoted a great deal
time to The art, and became quite pro-
lceht In 1t. He himself was the proud
possessor of extraordinarily large nails
~ III tOlutn0 anu
suApe mat he counted them as 'one of the
lOur eminent gifts bestowed upon him in
vLuer tnat he might be distinguished from
we rest OF mankind
ny means OF these nails he is said to
S ave ioretold his future almost exactly,
r nhulnR IL traced out upon them almost as
%a ni as In map. For instance, omens
Tu ~ presented themselves in the form OF
E. tn UT olack marks on the nail OF the
iiv IN while marks perfectly white
oo sne same place were prognostics of
r COuilng good fortune. Specks ON the thum b
ri @b meant approaching hOnors, and
, INES were heralded on the nail OF the
iioueH niger. The size, color and precise
mS S@tlon OF the different specks were all
SSr OF Inc greatest Importance.
Carusn was by no means the only ony-
IaOmancist. He had a great many fol.
llGi"ers and some predecessors. The out
T ings OIL their doctrine are summarized by
rfann ue Plancy in the 'Dictionnaire
nro,I MAJ. fellowish specks on the nails
ma eii approaching trouble, black ones
mn MI uanger, red specks, which are very
bSs So pinon, give warning that some one
sew "o wi designs against us; pure white
b Se1 5S are most to be desired, rs they are
tbsso o.eruhners OF good fortune. When
naiN Signs appear ut the bottom OF the
eiae 1; o accompaniment or their prOphe-
inc rs 10 remote, but as the nails grow and
GOV. MARKS approximate the tip OF the fin
az 10, speedy tuliilhment NAV be expected
vi Ie uhgulculAr yaticinali0ns."
wo.a peg pardon-l didn't catch the last
~ remarked the reporter.
reri, sald 'unguicular Vaccinations,
I IIn,e3 tne physician, severely.
Inc Diu you Know" he continued. unbend-
nar,y ,uat the Jews held some extraordi-
beiss Up.nlons about nails? They used TO
onr ars mat, before the fall, the bodies OF
parnnt parents were perfectly trans
6i tSn aod that OF these lucid envelopes
gn vhe soul our nails. were the sole sur-
hi remains. Curious belief, wasn't
Itelv ~ wouldn't care TO be so exquis-
thonld transparent yourself? Neither
apd MN png-nail craze is growing more
kome Of MI ,Mssnionable, isn't it? / notice
hnd tba my patients wear regular claws.
onSsrr e more fashionable the woman the
pose /, 1 ~ more pointed her nails. Isup-
that lonso iounded on the Chinese idea
tv' s,n g nails are indications OF rentll.
necbanjoo. ney are inconsistent with any
ar pSrs Ssl employment, or such a yui-
I've heard as working for ones bread,
pail is gu mat In Nubia the long finger
t good NIunssiuered an indlsputable proof
bat the ssai and high rank; so much so
hg NuDlan who wishes TO